The Nation Newspaper

Category: Politics

  • Jonathan engages the reverse gear

    Jonathan engages the reverse gear

    Our President has come up with yet another book on Nigeria’s immediate future. Every leader, by his appointments, sets parameters for performance and lets the people into the inner recesses of his mind on the way forward. It affords the people, or those who think and speak for them, an opportunity of analysing the philosophy that guides or would guide the leader in his action. By merely effecting changes in the cabinet, a leader could inform the people that he would no longer tolerate nonsense.

    President Goodluck Jonathan has made some important appointments. In doing so, he appears to have engaged the reverse gear while facing the future. Coming so close to the next general elections, we seek to understand him and what he intends to do for or to Nigeria in the course of the next one year. Two major challenges faced by Nigeria now are the economy and insecurity. He has in place his economic team which has been stable since the inception of the administration. He seems to have placed the fate of Nigeria totally in the team headed by Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy. It is however doubtful if a total surrender of the economy to the Bretton-Woods institutions is what the Nigerian people want today. During the past week, the Finance Minister who is always on the war-path with federal legislators, reeled out statistics on the economy. The one that caught my attention was the claim that about 1.6 million jobs had been created. Where? When? How? These people must actually have built their mansions in the cloud.

    If at least there has been stability in the philosophy guiding the management of the economy, the same cannot be said of the security sector. The President, by the changes he constantly introduces, has given the impression that he lacks understanding of how the security agencies work and how a society as complex as Nigeria should be organised. He appears to lack knowledge of the interconnection between political and economic restructuring and the security of a country. He seems to have been dancing round the same circle, believing that mere change of personnel could do the trick. It failed in the past, but it has just been repeated.

    In effecting changes in the leadership of the armed forces, what message did the President pass across? He is returning General Aliyu Gusau to office. This time, as defence minister with full constituent powers. He is to oversee the whole gamut of the security apparatus. He similarly upgraded the Chief of Air Staff to Chief of Defence Staff. He thought the ethnic factor should determine who runs the agencies. Before this point, he had downplayed the defence ministry. He once appointed Dr. Shettima Mustapha defence minister. After that, he turned to Mrs. Olusola Obada to oversee the ministry and supervise the defence chiefs. The story of appointment of National Security Advisers is not different.

    So, now, what does Jonathan want? Is Gusau his messiah? Could he be said to have run out of options? Does he regard this as a war team for 2015? As a septuagenarian, I think Gusau should have been allowed to enjoy his retirement. The former Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Defence Staff and NSA is largely respected in the international intelligence community. He is believed to have a wand for solving the insecurity problem, but does he? Does he fundamentally share the same philosophy with the president? What does Jonathan want- just another term in office? What does Gusau want- a peaceful Nigeria? Does General Gusau believe that the President’s ambition stands in the way of lasting peace? Is he in a position to prevail on the President to step down his return bid in the interest of peace?

    Gusau is not just a technocrat- he is a politician. For about two decades now, he has nursed the ambition of running Nigeria. Has he given up? If General Buhari is still plying his trade on the scene; if General Obasanjo is still being described as the “Navigator”, to what extent could it be said that the intelligence chief has given up on his ambition? Does he, generally, accept the Northern quest for return to power next year? Or, are both men, the President and the General, playing games?

    More on this sometime later.

    I looked through the list of ministerial nominees and, as usual, I could not see the spark. It could not be said the Dr. Jonathan picked men and women driven by passion for Nigeria or capable of raising standards. What did the President see in Ambassador Aminu Wali in bringing him on board? What does he have that others before him lacked?

    Boni Haruna is coming in from Adamawa. His sole qualification at this time seems to be an intention to checkmate the advances of Vice Admiral Murtala Nyako. But, General Jonathan should watch his back. Loyalty is not a word that means so much to the former governor of the state.

    I am concerned about the road to the future that this President has chosen. I am passionate about the divine mission of Nigeria in leading the children of Africa out of the bondage of ages. I do not see the road to a better future with Dr. Jonathan driving the vehicle. We must all shine our eyes now.

  • Tribute to Seriake Dickson at 48

    Tribute to Seriake Dickson at 48

    When the literary giant, William Shakespeare, opined that some people are born great, others achieve greatness, while others have greatness thrust upon them, he had the likes of the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Henry Seriake Dickson, at heart. The governor’s odyssey in life since his birth shows that he is a naturally born great man. This is not to say there were no vicissitudes at the period of his birth and boyhood which worked to no avail to deny humanity this rare gift.

    On Tuesday, January 28, the Valentine Governor, who we fondly call the country-man, will clock 48 years. Having survived a lot of battles, especially in the political space, one would have expected the governor to roll out the drums to celebrate with pomp but he has refused to mark the day. To the consternation of many of his aides and government officials, the governor banned congratulatory messages on his birthday and advised those who wish to do so to channel their resources to charity organisations and orphanage homes.

    But Dickson’s pronouncement didn’t come as a surprise to me because he was simply living up to his conviction as a country-man!  Typical of the Restoration Governor, he will be on ground on Tuesday to attend to files, hold meetings and intensify his inspection of projects to ensure that they are executed in line with specifications and global standards. Dickson’s 48th birthday comes up 17 days before his government’s second anniversary, which is precisely on February 14, Valentine Day.

    In less than two years on the saddle, Dickson has changed the governance culture in Bayelsa State, making the fear of God, service delivery, uncommon courage, transparency and accountability the cornerstones of his administration. The multiplier effect of this philosophy is the ongoing massive transformation in all sectors. While the church in Nigeria celebrates Dickson as the only governor that promulgated a Thanksgiving Day law by setting aside November 2 of every year as Thanksgiving Day in Bayelsa State, not many Nigerians know that the country-man remains the only governor in Nigeria that renders account of stewardship to the people on a monthly basis in a town hall meeting where the accruals to the state, IGR and expenditure are laid bare for public scrutiny.

    In the last 22 months, over 350 kilometres of roads have been completed across the state, 15 bridges were constructed and over 50 public buildings/ schools completed, the secretariat of the Traditional Rulers Council in Yenagoa, a modern Police Officers’ Mess, School of Tourism and Catering Management have been completed. Rehabilitation of the Glory Land Cultural Centre and the Government House Clinic, among others, are now completed and are being put to use. Road linking the old and new campuses of the state-owned Niger Delta University at Amassoma has also been completed.

    Top among the ongoing projects are the airport project in Yenagoa, Commercial Cassava/ Starch Processing Factory at Ebidebri and two strategic flyovers on Isaac Boro Expressway, Yenagoa.

    When completed, they will be the first flyovers ever built in Bayelsa State while the Drug Mart/ Pharmaceutical Store undergoing construction is the first of its kind in Nigeria.  Work on the 27km road from Igbogene to Bayelsa Palm and the expanded Elebele – Opolo and Opolo-Imiringi roads have reached advance stages. Others are the Ogbia-Nembe road, the dualisation of 18 roads and two outer ring roads, three new secretariat annexes, state archives, Museum, Language Centre, Governor and Deputy Governors’ Office complexes.

    Indeed, Dickson seems to be in a hurry to turn the oil-rich Bayelsa to Dubai. This may have prompted many international figures like Reverend Jesse Jackson to visit Yenagoa while investors throng Bayelsa State to explore the investment opportunities. Interestingly, Yenagoa, the state capital, has played host to so many national and international events more than ever before. Top among them were the Jazz International Festival and the Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria award.

    But as far as I am concerned, the most laudable achievement of the restoration government is not the ongoing infrastructural revolution but the prevalence of social justice in Bayelsa. This was made possible because of the person of Dickson and the autonomy the judiciary enjoys in the last 20 months, as the judiciary gets its funding through first line charge, eliminating the scenario where many Chief Judges go cap-in- hand to governors begging for funding!

    Born on the 28th January, 1966 in the riverine Toru- Orua in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State to the family of Mr and Mrs Nanaye Dickson of Orua, a descendant of the famous King Kpadia Royal House of Tarakiri Kingdom, Dickson is also a descendant of the renowned Obu warrior family of Orua whose trademark is valour, bravery and honour.

    Dickson attended Kolobiriowei Primary School, Toru-Orua from 1972 to 1978 where he got his First School Leaving Certificate and proceeded to the Government Secondary School, Toru-Ebeni between 1978 and 1983 and obtained his West African School Certificate (WASC/GCE).  He joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1986 to raise money to further his education, because his parents could no longer cater for his schooling.  He gained admission in 1988 to the Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt to study Law from where he graduated with LL.B (HONS.) in 1992. He then proceeded, in 1993, to earn his Barrister at Law from the Nigeria Law School, Lagos and was called to the Nigerian Bar the same year.

    He was Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in 1994 but withdrew his service to start legal practice in Port Harcourt where he worked with Serena David Dokubo & Co. He was an associate solicitor from 1994 to 1995 and moved to Aluko & Oyebode, a prominent law firm in Lagos, in a similar position.

    In 1996, he founded Seriaka Dickson  & Co, a law firm in Port-Harcourt and later Yenagoa. He was elected pioneer Publicity Secretary, Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Bayelsa State Chapter, a position he held from 1996 to 1998.

    In 1998 when all the bigwigs in Bayelsa were either in the PDP or the APP (later ANPP), Dickson chose to pitch his tent with the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and was elected its chairman between 1998  and 2000 and led the party to winning all the elections in Bayelsa West Senatorial District. Indeed, Bayelsa State was the only state the party recorded such a victory outside the core Yoruba-speaking states. The party apparatchik rewarded him by elevating him to the post of National Legal Adviser between 2000 and 2002.

    He was equally elected the National Legal Adviser of the foremost pan-Ijaw socio-cultural and political group, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), from 2001 to 2003. He became a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC), Nigeria Bar Association, between 2004 and 2006.

    The crisis in the defunct AD, coupled with his desire to help President Goodluck Jonathan who was deputy governor at the time to succeed the incumbent governor, Chief DSP Alamiesiegha, forced Dickson to join the PDP in 2005 and became the founding Secretary of Jonathan’s political group, Green Movement, in 2006. Dickson was appointed the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice of Bayelsa State in 2006 by the then governor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, following the exit of Alamiesiegh.

    Since the golden fish has no hiding place, Dickson was elected member, representing Sagbama/Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives. He served as the Chairman, House Committee on Justice. He was re-elected in 2011 but resigned after he was elected governor.  In appreciation of his service to his community, Dickson was conferred with the prestigious title, Olokodau of Orua Kingdom. The Tarakiri High Chief is also the Edi 1 (pillar) of Ogbia Kingdom.

    As a lawmaker, he sponsored so many critical bills which have been passed into law and played a key role in the successes recorded by the sixth National Assembly. But what is not often remembered about Dickson and for which he has not received sufficient encomium was his role in the passage of the Freedom of Information Bill at the National Assembly where he served as the Vice Chairman of the FOIB harmonisation committee and his delivery of an entire senatorial district to the AD in 1998 as well as his amendment of the Evidence Act, the first ever since 1954.

    The lesson from Dickson’s story is, if this man, who did not see a vehicle until he was 18 years, could work so hard to be governor, then there are limitless opportunities for all Bayelsans to achieve their dreams if they take advantage of the enabling environment created by the restoration government.  If Dickson keeps sycophants at bay and sustains his service delivery, Bayelsa will continue to be a cynosure in Nigeria! Happy birthday my friend and boss!

     

    Agbo is Public Affairs Analyst and Media Strategist to Governor Dickson and sent in from Yenagoa via francisagbo38@gmail.com

     

     

  • Still on Jonathan’s conference vs Peoples conference

    Still on Jonathan’s conference vs Peoples conference

    While the federal government under President Goodluck Jonathan is carrying on with its plan to host a national conference that is not likely to be sovereign, given the recommendations of the Senator Femi Okurounmu-led advisory committee, the people of Nigeria continue to reject the proposed talk shop while insisting on a sovereign national conference.

    Chieftains and members of the Project Nigeria (Nigeria Consensus Group) and Pro National Conference Organisation, PRONACO; two major platforms in Nigeria committed to a peoples driven and all inclusive National Conference in Nigeria, are the latest group of Nigerians to re-iterate the need for President Jonathan to pocket his own confab idea and hearken to the voices of the people.

    The leaders of the groups have again called on the President  to jettison the plan to send the resolutions of the forth coming National Conference to the National Assembly as part of inputs for the ongoing constitutional amendments.

    Recalling how decree 24 of 1999 dubiously christened 1999 constitution as the peoples’ constitution, the groups said this is at the root of the current political strife and tension in the land and that no amount of amendments can transform it to a constitution legitimately owned by the Nigerian peoples.

    The group also wants President Goodluck Jonathan to make the diverse ethnic Nationalities in the country the core of the composition of the proposed National Conference as they are the original indigenous component units of Nigeria.

    The group averred that the universal convention for constitution making is that it is not a government or any of its organs that gives the people of a country a constitution but that it is the people that gives its government a constitution for popular governance.

  • Oyinlola: Any hope of a comeback?

    Oyinlola: Any hope of a comeback?

    Suspended National Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, is one man who knows how to remain hopeful even when the popular opinion appears to be that he is hoping against hope.

    Or how can one explain the current happy mood within his political family based on insinuations that he may soon regain his seat at the national secretariat of the party?

    The story among Oyinlola’s aides and associates is that his imminent return to Wadata House is one of the possibilities of the reconciliation move to be embarked upon by the new leadership of the party.

    Oyinlola’s men are also optimistic that apart from Oyinlola, a former National Auditor of the party, Mr. Bode Mustapha, a close associate of the former governor of Osun State, may also be brought back to his position.

    If the move succeeds, the present occupants of the positions, Prof. Wale Oladipo and Adewale Adeyanju, secretary and national auditor respectively, may lose their positions. But what is yet to be seen are how and when this hope will become reality.

  • Obi’s emergence as APGA leader, BOT chairman illegal – Ufomba

    Obi’s emergence as APGA leader, BOT chairman illegal – Ufomba

    Ochiagha Reagan Ufomba, All Progressives Grand Allance (APGA) governorship candidate in Abia State in the 2011 elections and chairman of the Peace and Reconciliation Committee, set up by the Maxi Okwu-led faction of the party last year, speaks on the party’s crisis. Associate Editor, Sam Egburonu, presents excerpts

    Two months after the Anambra State Election, APGA is still enmeshed in crises. Two men are parading themselves as National Chairmen. How do you look at this situation?

    We have congratulated the people of Anambra State for returning APGA to power. On the issue of two persons being chairmen of the party, I think the media should be fair to Chief Maxi Okwu and his group. Don’t forget I was the chairman of the Reconciliation Committee of the party. Before the elections there was a truce, observed by all parties, after which the parties went back to court to determine who the true leader of our party is. An Abuja High Court has since pronounced that Maxi Okwu is the National Chairman of APGA. So the issue of two people parading themselves as National Chairmen or describing Maxi Okwu as factional chairman should not arise anymore, unless we have no respect for the judiciary.

    Chief Victor Umeh in his reaction to the judgement you mentioned said it was an ambush. The National Secretary, Alhaji Shinkafi said it was judicial rascality. They have gone ahead to disregard the ruling. How do you situate these remarks against  your position.

    I will give you three answers. One is when a defendant or even a litigant fails to respect the judgement of a court, he is adjudged to be contemptuous. Okay? What they are doing currently is clear contempt of court. The other issue is if a man who became secretary of a party in 2003 in clear contravention of the party constitution, now proclaims a court judgement that says he has been flouting the constitution as judicial rascality, has he forgotten that, that is enough constitutional rascality on his part? So for us the judge should be commended for standing up in this matter and for once telling Nigerians and APGA members that the impunity, the disrespect with which the duo of Victor Umeh and Shinkafi had mismanaged, treated, trampled on the constitution of the party, should be enough. That is what the judge has done and he should be commended.

    Since the inception of the party, crisis has been part of it. What is responsible for the seemingly intractable nature of crisis in APGA?

    I think, after my exercise as chairman of the reconciliation committee, and the non-implementation of our recommendation, I described the action as selfishness and insensitivity. And that much I can still say is the problem of APGA – Greed, selfishness and insensitivity. And of course our inability to respect our own laws.

    While the crises is raging, Governor Peter Obi has emerged as the party’s leader and chairman of it’s Board of Trustees (BOT). This was done by the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party. What is your reaction to that?

     

    I will start this way. We have never had issues with Peter Obi occupying any position in the party. But the process that will throw him up must be in line with APGA constitution because it came one or two days after that judgement, which today we regard as contempt of court. Secondly, how many of us did you see there? That is the issue. I was the governorship candidate of the party in Abia in 2011. Barrister Obiegwu was in Enugu. Ambassador Frank Ogbuewu was in Ebonyi. How many of us did you see there? You cannot shave a man’s hair in his absence. You cannot clap with one hand. That is the second issue in his appointment. The third and most fundamental is the process that threw him up. The APGA constitution once more, has been flouted. And most unfortunately, Governor Peter Obi is at the centre of this disrespect to the party’s constitution that says that there should be a 24 – member Board of Trustees who shall elect their own chairman and secretary. Was that the case in Awka? It was not. Some of us are not in politics to disobey the laws of the land. Some of us are not in politics to do the wrong things. We are in politics to bring about positive changes and charity must begin at APGA. We must be able to do good things. I did say a few days ago that APGA is like a jet fighter flying with one engine. If you don’t give all the necessary engines and support, then, APGA must crash. God forbid.

    Are you saying in effect that Obi’s emergence as leader and BOT chairman is illegal?

    Precisely that is what I am saying. It is illegal. It is unconstitutional. It is null and void. It is contempt of court. It is a great abuse, disrespect, and disregard to several sections of the APGA constitution

    Are you not worried that while other parties are building structures, reviewing strategies, and marshalling out plans for the elections next year, APGA is battling with multiple crises. Don’t you think it will affect its performance in the election?

    Let me be very honest with you, there is no party in Nigeria today that does not have a bit of crises. This is part of the political process. There must be crises in the parties. The political parties all over have their own fair share of crises. APGA is not an exception. But I can also tell you that it can only get us stronger. While this is going on, a lot of people are joining APGA, especially in Abia State, where I come from. People want change. And the only party they look up to for this change is APGA. What we need to do is to finetune our strategy, to rebrand the party, so that it can be better positioned to win elections. That is the assignment of the new leadership. The strategy must be right. Even if we are having a coalition, an understanding, a working agreement with some of the parties, or any of the parties, or we are having our own candidates at all levels, the strategy must be right.

    You ran for governorship election in 2011 in Abia State. If the opportunity beckons, will you run again?

    I am not a politician that says my people asked me to come. I am one man who sees a problem and I want to solve it. I want to clearly state and unequivocally too, that the problems I saw in Abia that made me run elections in 2011 are still there. They are even increasing. So, there is need for one good head to come and save the people of Abia state, especially Aba. I am thinking seriously of doing that.

  • Roadmap for 2015 elections: Amplifying youth voice

    Roadmap for 2015 elections: Amplifying youth voice

    The beauty of democracy is accentuated by its unique ability to provide citizens with the opportunity to elect their leaders through the conduct of credible elections. Increasingly, the conduct of credible elections contributes to democratic development as the foundational principles of democracy e.g. rule of law, human rights, and right to participation are respected and protected. This is exemplified with the 2011 election which is adjudged to be the best since Nigeria’s return to democracy in 1999. A litany of factors ranging from the integrity and commitment of INEC which boosted voters trust and confidence; the determination of the Nigerian people to exercise their franchise and defend their votes; the proactive engagement of civil society and the optimism expressed by young people contributed to the overall success of the elections.

    Nigeria is caught up in another atmosphere of political campaigns and elections with thepresent political turf becoming overcast and tensed.  These developments if not addressed possess the potentials of undermining the credibility of the 2015 elections and possibly degenerate to political instability. These factors include uncertainty of the legal and constitutional framework for elections, election logistics management, violence and insecurity, lack of internal party democracy and discipline, credibility of the voters register, corruption and impunity, utter disregard for the rule of law and the unending alienation of youth, women and persons with disabilities from the political process. The 2015 election is very critical to the future of Nigerians especially young people who often times are sceptical about the capacity of the political process to deliver the dividends of democracy following the growing level of unemployment and poverty. Therefore, improving electoral governance and citizens’ participation in the electoral process will require pragmatic multi-stakeholder engagement rooted in the principles of capacity, integrity, credibility and impact.

    Recent statistics reveal that Nigeria’s electoral demography is largely dominated by young people between the ages of 18-35. According to the results of Nigeria’s most recent census (2006), out of a population of over 140 million, 77% of Nigerians are below the age of 35. No doubt; the demographic strength of the youth population is further revealed by the fact that representing an estimated population of 68 million, Nigerian youths are thrice the population of Ghana, almost double the population of South Africa and by far higher than the population of the United Kingdom. Ironically, Nigeria runs a major democratic deficit of excluding the largest segment of her population. It is important to note that the 2011 elections recorded a very discouraging number of youth candidates emerging from political parties. In the recent Anambra election, only four persons within the youth age were presented as deputy governorship candidates by four out of the twenty-three political parties that participated in the election.

    Youth participation in the democratic process through elections in 2015 and beyond should be more strategic, sustainable and purposefully driven. It is against this background thatYouth Alliance on Constitution & Electoral Reform (YACORE), Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement (YIAGA) and its partners, is conveying three (3) days National Conference with the theme: Roadmap for 2015 Elections: Amplifying Youth Voices in Nigeria. Over 200 participants drawn from International and diverse youth groups,CSOs, persons with disability, religious & traditional groups, political parties, socio-cultural groups, academics, media, development partners, think-tanks political activists are billed to participate, which hold at Rock View Hotel (Royale), Wuse II, Abuja, on Tuesday 28th -30thJanuary, 2014

    Essentially, the International Conference is to undertake a holistic appraisal of the electionand political climate and harness the real participatory power of young people, and develop strategies and collaborations for effective youth engagement in the 2015 elections and beyond. It is equally tailored to cultivate the resilience, ingenuity and responsiveness of young Nigerians in promoting electoral governance, credible and violent free elections through continuous dialogue, effective advocacy and networking. It promises to encourage information and experience sharing on election related issues between different stakeholders in the youth sector, civil society, election management bodies and political parties; develop a unified road map for effective citizens’ engagement in the 2015 elections; and generate national consensus on priority issues for electoral reform in the build up to the 2015 elections.At the end conference, participants shall have increased knowledge and understanding of the election and political environment ahead of the 2015 elections.

    Conference Details:

    WHAT: Three Days National Conference on 2015 Elections

    WHERE: Rock View Hotel, Royale, Wuse II, Abuja

    WHEN: Tuesday 28th – 30th January, 2014

    WHO: Youth Alliance on Constitution & Electoral Reform (YACORE), Youth Initiative for Advocacy, Growth & Advancement (YIAGA), with support from Democratic Governance for Development (DGD) Project, Partners, invited participants, and Resource Persons.

    WHY: Roadmap for 2015 Elections: Amplifying Youth Voices.

    HOW: Multimedia presentations, Panel Discussion, Syndicate Sessions, Live Streaming and use of other social media platforms, and Press interviews.

     

     

  • Politics of council creation in Osun

    Politics of council creation in Osun

    Many towns and villages in Osun State have intensified their agitations for new councils, following the announcement by Governor Rauf Aregbesola that additional Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) may be created to expand the scope of grassroots democracy. Adesoji Adeniyi reports.

    Osun State has the highest number of urban towns in the country. Thus, in the Southwest, it also has the highest number of local governments listed in the 1999 Constitution.

    But, the 30 local governments and one area office have not satisfied the people’s yearning for grassroots participatory democracy. This reality accounted for the decision of Governor Rauf Aregbesola to create additional local council areas.

    In the governor’s view, additional councils would ensure rapid socio-economic development and bring the government closer to the people.

    Aregbesola is tapping from the Lagos State experience. He was the Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure in the Centre of Excellence when additional councils were created by former Governor Bola Tinubu. Thus, he understands the process, the hinderances and the expectations of the people.

    However, the creation of the councils have generated rift between some communities and the government. While some towns and villages have applauded the governor for the decision, others have frowned at the distribution of the new councils.

    The governor kicked off the process when he inaugurated the Osun Local Government Areas Creation Committee. It was headed by the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Prof. Mojeeb Alabi. The committee was mandated to visit the nooks and crannies, collate the requests of the various communities for new councils and make recommendations to the government.

    In its report, the Alabi Panel recommended the creation of additional 27 local governments and two area offices. Receiving the report, the governor promised to adhere to the constitutional provisions guiding the creation of new local governments. He also said that the move to create more councils in Osun State would not generate crisis between the state and the Federal Government.

    Aregbesola assured that the new councils will be created to reflect the legitimate yearnings of the communities. He said that standard and merit will not be compromised during the exercise.

    “We are simply not ready to confront anybody or the Federal Government, but we are working on the constitution to grant the wishes of our people. Osun will be the first to constitutionally create local governments. We will create councils that will meet all constitutional requirements. The difference between what we are seeking to do from others is that we have not in any way influenced this. It is the genuine desire of the people for self-government or expression of having control of their own affairs”, he stressed.

    To validate the process through legal backing, Arebgesola has presented a bill for the creation of the 27 new local government development councils to the House of Assembly. While presenting the bill to the 26-member House, the governor said that the council administration would be run on parliamentary system of government.

    The communities that have hailed the report praised Aregbesola for a job well done. But some communities, groups and individuals are also opposing the exercise for partisan reasons. For instance, the former Chairman of the Appropriation Committee in the Senate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, faulted the creation of additional local governments and the introduction of parliamentary system of government at the grassroots.

    Omisore, who is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant, urged the stakeholders, irrespective of their political beliefs, to reject the proposed cabinet system. “This is an evidence of the lack of ideas, initiatives, wisdom and knowledge and I wonder why a governor will be replicating the exact model of Lagos State governance without considering the differences in the economy, finance, manpower, culture and landscape of the state. “It is not a sheer coincidence that the proposed additional 27 local councils, when added to the 30 local governments, will make the exact 57 councils that they have in Lagos State. My question is, why is the creation of local councils more important than creating wealth for the impoverished people of Osun State”, he queried.

    Also, some traditional rulers from Ife North Local Government Area have petitioned the Speaker, Hon. Najeem Salam, over the omission of their area in the proposed 27 local government development councils. The monarchs and other stakeholders appealed to the Speaker to review the exercise. In a petition by the Unity Club of Ife North Local Government, the stakeholders said that additional councils for the area will bring development.

    The petition was signed by the Apetumodu of Ipetumodu, Oba James Adegoke, the Salu of Edunabon, Oba Elijah Oyelade, the Olumoro of Moro, Oba E.A Oyeniyi, and the Olulamokun of Yakoyo, Oba Johnson Oyesakin. Other traditional rulers who are signatories to the petition are the Alasipa of Asipa, Chief Johnson Adenowale, Alakinla of Akinlalu, Chief Gbadamosi Oyeniran, and the Bale of Oyere, Chief John Abiola. The President of the Unity Club of Ife North Local Government and the Secretary, Mr. C. A. Adeniyi and J. O. Ogunjobi respectively, also signed the petition.

    They faulted the proposed parliamentary system of government whereby the council chairmen would be elected from among councillors elected into the councils. The traditional rulers expressed disappointment that the local government had been neglected, despite its huge population.

    The stakeholders said that they had requested for the creation of additional three new councils in their letter to the governor and the Speaker on November 26, 2012.

    “But to our disappointment, Ife North was totally omitted from the list of local government councils that was sent to the House of Assembly for consideration, despite our being qualified for more local government councils, according to the 2006 Censu,s which shows that the area has the highest population in Osun State, the highest number of primary and post-primary schools, vast land mass, and other viable means of running a local government.

    “We are therefore, appealing to you to kindly include our local government for consideration and listing in the yet-to-be-debated local government development councils to be created in Osun State. We wish to inform you that whoever does not support this idea is an enemy of Ife North Local Government”, they added.

    Also, the people of Oke-Irun, Boluwaduro Local Government, with Otan-Aiyegbaju as its headquarters, are protesting their inclusion in a new council with Igbajo, their neigbours. They said they preferred to remain under the Bolorunduro Local Government, instead of being in a council where Igbajo is likely to be the headquarters.

    The governor is sensitive to these criticisms and observations. Aregbesola explained that his administration will insist on fairness, equity and rule of law during the process.

    The governor observed that, since grassroots governance is critical to development, it must remain the focus of his administration.

    Aregbesola said the proposed creation of new councils is designed to foster an all-inclusive governance at the grassroots. Since the councils are not being effectively run as they ought to be, he said that quality control is important.

    He assured that the structures being proposed for the new councils will maintain prudent spending, reduce the cost of governance, enhance the quality of representation at the grass-roots, and ensure efficiency.

    The governor shed light on the proposed parliamentary system. He explained that the chairmen and vice chairmen of the council would be elected councillors from the party with majority seats in the council. Thus, to emerge as the chairman, the person must contest for the councillorship election. He must be popular among the councillors. He must be a grassroots.

    If these processes are followed, Aregbesola said that they will enhance healthy political competition, promote accountability, and guarantee good governance.

    However, the governor said that the council will no more be perceived as an avenue for graft. Aregbesola aid that, henceforth, prospective political functionaries at the local government level will earn meagre emolument.

  • ‘Agbaso was not impeached because of corruption’

    ‘Agbaso was not impeached because of corruption’

    All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) chieftain Chief Martin Agbaso is the elder brother of the impeached deputy governor of Imo State, Sir Jude Agbaso. He spoke with reporters in Lagos on the Okorocha Administration, the allegations of bribery against the former deputy governor, the investigation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other issues. EMMANUEL OLADESU was there. 

    What is the latest on the investigation of the bribery allegation against former Imo State Deputy Governor Jude Agbaso by the EFCC?

    In the third week of March, last year, my brother, Mr. Jude Ikechukwu Agbaso, the former deputy governor of Imo State, was accused of receiving N458 million bribe from a Lebanese contractor.

    Then, I, in very clear terms, said that my brother had nothing to do with the bribery. It was Rochas Okorocha who approved the contract, awarded it, paid the said contractor N1.3 billion of Imo State money without due process, without even an award letter or any form of advance payment guarantee. So, the curious thing at the point was, why would a man who did all this, who got all the benefits that were unprecedented from the governor, go to the deputy governor who was away in India on official assignment, and give him a bribe of almost 40 per cent of the money collected? That didn’t make sense to me. And, I said that, we, as a family, would do every thing humanly possible to get to the crux of the matter; we would do everything to find out who took this money, where the money is domiciled and who the beneficiaries were.

    Then, the news broke. The EFCC, after putting us through grueling, painful, eight months of investigation, finally cleared my brother or any Agbaso for that matter, of any wrong doing, of any involvement whatsoever in the alleged bribe scandal. Again, this man went to the Imo State House of Assembly and said to them: “I am a Lebanese contractor. I have taken N458 million of Imo State money and given to the deputy Governor.” They kissed this man and told him to walk away and began hunting a deputy governor who knew nothing.

    Okorocha said that, as long as Jude Agbaso remained the deputy governor, his life was at risk; that Agbaso could kill him. This is someone whose deputy governor was impeached, someone who got into office on the same ticket as you, was impeached in the most brazen manner, malicious and mischevious manner, in a show of shame that this country has never seen before.

    Are you saying that the impeachment did not follow the due process?

    Before the impeachment panel could even sit to look at the papers, a report had been sent to the House of Assembly. Before the House of Assembly could finish the process, a deputy governor nominee had been selected. Before the man could say Jack Robinson, a new deputy governor was sworn in and yet, the governor said he didn’t know anything about it.

    Was there an agreement on one term between you and the governor?

    There has been a catalogue of anomalies committed by the administration of Rochas Okorocha. You are just determined to destroy my name in the eyes of the Imo people and Nigerians. You had an agreement with me that you were going to be governor for four years and we both signed this agreement, which was witnessed by the National Chairman of the APGA. And you made this pronouncement in churches, in halls, in stadia; everywhere you said to people that you had an agreement with Martin Agbaso that you would be governor for one term, and after that, the governorship would go to Owerri Zone, which rightfully should produce the next governor.

    Instead of doing that, you are looking for a way to tarnish my image. But, it’s not going to work because there is a God out there, who rules in the affairs of men and women. You can’t continue to mislead the people, and lie your way through life as if it’s business as usual.

    Could you shed more light on the so-called EFCC’s clearance of Jude Agbaso

    For the first time in this country, somebody was accused of something and the person wrote to the EFCC, the ICPC to come and investigate him. He said: “If you find me guilty, jail me. But, if you find me innocent, say it so I can clear myself. Now, the job of the EFCC is to investigate the matter. When they are through with investigation, if they find you wanting on any of the allegations, then, they take you to the the court for prosecution. The `EFCC has concluded this investigation and found nothing. The money, which was said to have been given to you as bribe, was lodged in two accounts; one in Dubai and one in Lebanon. We know where these monies are. The EFCC has confirmed that Jude Agbaso did not commit the crime. Joseph Dina himself has said in a written statement that he did not give him bribe. If Jude Agbaso committed any crime, the EFCC would be prosecuting him in court.

    What is your next step now on the matter?

    First of all, I owe the people of Imo State a big apology. I was misled by Governor Rochas Okorocha. I did not know his antecedents before I went into an agreement with him. By everything he has done in Imo State, he has shown that he is a person who does not honour agreement.

    What I saw was a philanthropist, who trains other people’s children. And I believed that, if he could do that, when he gets into a position of authority, our people would be better off. Everything I did was to propel Imo State forward. Because I was already in court for three and half years, fighting a legal battle over elections I won in 2007, I was not prepared to go into an election in 2011. This guy came and, with his normal talk-talk, I thought we had a good candidate. Please, Ndi-Imo, I am sorry for bringing this man. He brought himself and I helped him. I thought it was the best thing to do at the time. But that is the limit of a human being. I could not see tomorrow.

    Now, he is saying that Jude Agbaso was incompetent. How can you say that a man is incompetent when his boss, the governor, was the one who brought the contractor, paid him, awarded the contract without any advance payment guarantee or letter of award.

    This payment did not go through the ministry at all. By the time the commissioner who was the deputy governor knew what was happening, the money had been paid. In fact, the first N200 million that was given to that man was paid in cash. So, how do you say that such a man is incompetent?

    Is it true that the governor paid you for the APGA ticket in 2011?

    I expected an apology from Rochas Okorocha. Yet, instead of apologising to someone who invested heavily in his campaign, and to the young man who has worked with you, you try to destroy him. Instead of apologising, you’re even undermining the letter which exonerated him. The most shameful thing that has come out of Rochas Okorocha’s mouth is that he paid Martin Agbaso for the APGA ticket. I gave Rochas Okorocha my word that I would help him become the governor. I funded his campaign. I brought people to give money. I don’t want to mention their names so I do not embarrass them. How can someone who he is now owing money for funding the campaign be the same person he gave money for ticket?

    Everybody saw me canvassing for votes in every village. My house was the command headquarters for the elections; everything was done in my house. What thank you do I get? You try to destroy my family name. And you see him singing church choruses and quoting the bible. When it’s convenient, he quotes the Qu’ran. Who is he to keep trying to mislead Nigerians and assume that we are foolish?

     

  • ‘APC’ll provide better leadership’

    ‘APC’ll provide better leadership’

    The Chairman of the Public Account Committee in the House of Representatives, Hon. Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, represents  Alimoso Constituency, Lagos. He spoke with

    As the Chairman of the Public Account Committee in the House of Representatives, do you think the President has run a transparent government?

    I want to score the government very low. This is because the Federal Government has not allowed true representation and independence in the areas of the presentation of its account books. I can tell you, the Auditor-General is still being guarded by the Federal Government. The constitution is clear about the role of the Auditor-General, which makes the office to be truly independent. How do I mean? This is because the office has been poorly funded by the government. By that act, it cannot perform its duty to the fullest. As such, it is still the Federal Government that is dictating the pace for the Auditor-General. It is in this regard that we are looking at the under-performance of the office of the Auditor-General. Until that office is truly independent, until it is fully funded and until the office is returned to the legislature, the so-called rendering of accounts by the Federal Government will still continue to remain poor. It will hardly meet up with the standard of the best practice, in terms of rendering accounts.

    Is the Auditor-General supposed to report to the National Assembly?

    We are supposed to confirm the appointment of the Auditor- General. The Auditor-General is supposed to report to the legislature, but as it is, the funding of that office still resides within the purview of the executive. And as such, we cannot guarantee authenticity of the report, guard against corruption and accountability.

    Some senators are preparing to defect from to the All Progressives Congress (APC)…

    What you have witnessed in the House of Representatives is a tip of the iceberg and a step in the right direction. It is a pointer to the fact that Nigerians are ready to take the bull by the horns. What is happening currently is just a true reflection of Nigerians’ expectation. As it is now, we are currently controlling the House of Representatives and we are in charge. We have succeeded in becoming the majority in the House. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila will become the Majority Leader of the House. By the defection of 37 members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the total number of members of the APC is now more than the PDP. The constitution is very clear; that with the simple majority the leadership of the party should be established with the controlling party. So, ordinarily, the APC will take over the leadership of the House in January.

    What happens to the Speaker, Alhaji Aminu Tambuwal?

    Well, as it is, the Speaker was elected by us. He is not a Speaker that was imposed by the PDP. This is the Speaker of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, who was truly elected by the representatives of this country. And since he is still doing his job very well, that is, putting in the forefront the paramount interest of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, he will continue to enjoy our support. He will continue to enjoy our support in numerous ways. What the Speaker is currently doing is highly commendable. People within and outside the country are commending his efforts.

    Will this boost the APC’s electoral fortunes in 2015?

    In numerous places, where the federal system is being practiced, you will never witness and you will never see where the domineering party controls both the executive and the legislature. In the past, at least, in the last 10 years or so, the PDP, because they had succeeded in rigging continuously, nobody has challenged them. That has allowed the party to dominate both the executive and the legislature. But as it is now, given what we have succeeded in doing in the House of Representatives, the Senate will equally be taken over by the APC. And once that is done, I can assure you that it is just a matter of time. In 2015, the APC will be controlling the executive.

    on national issues.

  • Proposed national conference and its controversies

    Proposed national conference and its controversies

    The proposed national dialogue may hold in this first quarter. But, criticisms are trailing the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee (PAC) headed by Senator Femi Okurounmu. Will President Goodluck Jonathan issue guidelines on the conference based on the report or tap from the minority report submitted by Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN)? MUSA ODOSHIMOKHE highlights the hurdles on the way of the conference.

    Then President Goodluck Jonathan unfolded his plan for a national conference last year, many stakeholders were skeptical. They dismissed the proposed dialogue as a decoy. Now, the report of the Presidential Advisory Committee on National Conference recently submitted to President Goodluck Jonathan has confirmed the fear that the conference will be teleguided by the government.

    The committee headed by Senator Femi Okurounmu was divided over some issues. While Okurounmu submitted a majority report, another member, Chief Solomon Asemota (SAN) submitted a minority report. The conference is expected to kick off in this quarter. But, stakeholders have expressed divergent views. Some have said that the report fell short of expectation. Others are saying that the missing links in the majority report can be bridged by the recommendations in the minority report. A section of the stakeholders are also warning against dismissing the reports, until the government white paper is out.

    Many people have pointed out that the main report has trivialized critical issues germane to the survival of the country. Highlighting the shortcoming, the former President of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN), said expressed surprise about the report. He said irrelevant 38 items have been included in the agenda of the national conference. He warned that, if the conference is convoked, based on the Okurounmu report, it will end up as a mere talk shop.

    Agbakoba said: “We expect that we had made a number of recommendations on things we have found unacceptable. The first surprise, which the PAC put forward, is that it has failed to understand what the constitution should contain.

    “We had expected that the PAC will be looking at the devolution of power, the structure of the federation, whether there should be six geo-political zones, state creation and their viability, the role of the local government and other important issues.”

    The human rights activist said that, although the PAC played down these important items on the conference agenda, issues of god fatherism, the cost of governance, the return of missionary and private schools, nomadic education, Tsangaya/Almajiri education system and unsettled issues of the Nigerian civil war are put on the front burner. The President of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Okey Wali (SAN), also faulted the report. He wondered why the President refused to receive the minority report submitted by Asemota.

    However, the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, flayed the critics of the report. He pointed out that Asemota was present when Okunrounmu presented his report to the President. His explanation did not put a stop to the volley of criticisms. The leader of ‘The Patriots’ and the ‘Igbo Leader of Thoughts’, Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN), said that the report was lopsided on the modalities of convoking the national conference, which requires that delegates should come from the existing constituencies delineated by the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC), instead of the ethnic nationalities.

    The former university don frowned at the way Okurounmu had attacked him, based on his observations, instead of acknowledging his lapses in good faith. Also, the Afenifere Renewal Group (ARG) led by Hon. Olawale Oshun supported Nwabueze’s line of thoughts. The Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, said that any conference convened, based on the Okunrounmu panel’s recommendation, may not meet the yearning of Nigerians.

    He added: “We found the recommendation that representation should be based on federal constituencies distasteful because this political structure has been used as a veritable tools of injustice, social and political discrimination that have held this country bound.

    “Our recommendation therefore, is that equal number of delegates should be elected or selected by ethnic nations within the zone. We also reject the recommendation that the conference delegates should be saddled with the responsibility of deciding how the decision and the outcome of the proposed conference would be integrated into the constitution and laws of Nigeria.

    “We therefore, kick against the nomination of any delegate, whether from any public official or from special interest group. Our stand is that every Nigerian belongs to an ethnic nation.”

    Agbakoba reviewed the agitations for the national conference. He noted that the 1999 Constitution was rejected because it did not emanate from the people. The lawyer said that the people perceived it as a military imposition because the document was midwife by the Abdulsalami Abubakar Administration.

    There are several flaws in the constitution which stakeholders expect the conference to correct. The constitution, for instance, states that the creation of states must be backed by the act of the National Assembly. The request must be supported by, at least, two-third majority of members representing the area.

    The process, analysts believe, is cumbersome should be modified. Some states are not viable, but were created for selfish political reasons. Some of them were decreed by the military government.

    Also, the local governments have become a subject of disputation. The 1999 Constitution states that a bill for the law of a House of Assembly, in respect of the area agitating for a council, must be supported by, at least, two-third majority of members representing the area demanding the creation of the new local government.

    Many experts have pointed out that the council are created by states, but their funding has become a subject of disputation. Should they be funded by the Federal Government or states?

    Pro-National Conference (PRONACO) member Mr. Linus Okoroji expressed reservations about the proposed conference. He said that one of the issues that may generate heat there is the status of the local government. “ The federal government should not fund the councils directly because they are created by states. They should ensure that the money goes to the states that will now allocate them to their councils. The states already have a grasp of the challenges these councils are facing”, he said.

    Another vexed issue on the front burner is the state police. It has polarized the polity. While a section is insisting on the federal police, another section is agitating for its decentralization.

    Recent events in the country has fuelled the clamour for a multi-level policing. There are allegations that state police commissioners are incited against governors, who are the chief security officers in their states.

    Abgbakoba urged Nigerians not to miss the opportunity for another conference. But, he doubted, if the dialogue can succeed, if the baseline is the adoption of the majority report.

    He said: “Nigerians truly want to see a new constitution. Rightly or wrongly, Nigerians are not happy that General Abubakar brought about the 1999 Constitution through Decree No 24 of 1998. They want to see something new. So, they don’t expect that the new constitution should simply be amended. After the national conference has produced a report, they say it should go to the National Assembly that will now tinker with it. How can that be a constitution by the Nigerian people?

    “What we want to see is a new constitution that is home grown and owned by Nigerians, subject to a referendum, sent to the President and given to the National Assembly, whose only power is to pass it into law. That is what Nigerians want to see. So, we reject the proposition by the committee. The National Assembly cannot be bigger than the Nigerian people”.

    Agbakoba added: “We have always talked about a Sovereign National Conference. But, I am a pragmatic human right advocate. We cannot pull a SNC; we don’t have the momentum for that. I don’t see anything wrong with the President convening the conference. But, if there must be SNC, there are certain minimum requirement. The conference must be open to all. Everybody must participate through the ethnic nationalities.”

    Agbakoba said: “The conference may be swallowed by the tension in the National Assembly.” He therefore, urged stakeholders to avoid that disastrous route.

    In the minority report, Asemota argued that, without a referendum, the report of the conference will be in jeopardy. He dissociated himself from this omission, which created a deep hollow in the majority report.